Veteran coach Mike Dement, in his second term as head coach at North Carolina-Greensboro, has stepped down from the position after his team dropped to 2-8 on the season.

He was a consistent winner at Cornell, Greensboro and SMU -- including a strong start to his second run with the Spartans. But in his past four years at Greensboro, his teams won a total of 22 games and lost 80.

Mike Dement led the Spartans to just two wins this season. (AP Photo)

The school announced Dement’s resignation on its web site Tuesday afternoon and revealed the promotion of assistant Wes Miller, who was a member of North Carolina’s 2005 national championship team.

At 28, Miller becomes one of the youngest coaches in Division I.

"In the interests of the long-term health of the men's basketball program, Mike and I have agreed that a change is necessary in order for the program to move forward," Greensboro athletics director Kim Record said in a statement. "Coach Dement has always exhibited the highest ethics and put the program before himself.

"He has been professional and committed to leading our efforts to enhance men's basketball with the program's move to the Greensboro Coliseum and the nonconference scheduling philosophy put in place over the last three seasons."

It might be no coincidence that the Spartans’ move to the vast Greensboro Coliseum occurred at roughly the same time as the program’s immense decline. UNCG averages 3,167 fans in a building that holds 23,500 for basketball.

Dement coached in only one NCAA Tournament in 25 seasons as a head coach but won 331 career games.

“After discussions with Ms. Record and a disappointing start to our season I believe that a new voice and a fresh start can be important for the team and program to move forward," Dement said. "This is an outstanding group of young men and coaches who have worked hard to raise the level of play for the Spartan program over the last few seasons.

"As they continue to mature and gain confidence, they will exhibit excellent play on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court as they have shown in parts of games thus far this season. I wish them nothing but success and will follow them closely throughout their careers at UNCG and beyond. I care deeply for them all."